Money Saving 101: Gyms

(Please welcome back Lindsey this week!)

We all know the scene from Bridesmaids where the main actors are hiding in the park, freeloading on an exercise class because they don’t want to pay for one. While funny, perhaps there is a ring of truth to how much gyms are actually costing us! 

As I looked into the cost of gyms, I found they can range from $10 dollars a month (a local Planet Fitness) to almost $70 (my parents’ local YMCA). The location, amenities and services all seem to play a part in the cost of membership. My personal gym is located downtown (I’m a city dweller). It is a basic gym: no pool, sauna or tennis/basketball courts. It is $60 for a monthly membership for my husband and me. This includes full use of the gym and classes as well as free parking at the parking garage near the gym (this is huge bonus). While this is a fairly reasonable price to us, we have been asking the question – do we go to the gym enough to make another $60 a month worth it? 

Gyms do provide many things exercising at home simply cannot. There is a social aspect at the gym.  My husband has his ‘lifting buddies’ and I go to spinning classes and yoga with my girlfriends. It can be more motivating to work out around other people! You have access to much more equipment that you would at home. From weights to ellipticals to saunas, pools or basketball courts, you can keep your regiment from getting boring but switching it up. You also have numerous classes if your gym offers them (some may charge an additional cost). 

While we went religiously when we first joined, our attendance has fallen off to almost, well, never. We have found that once summer comes around we want to be outside and enjoying the weather instead of inside a gym all evening. We also do other activities in addition to the gym membership, like golfing, which costs us money in addition to our gym. Therefore, we decided to cut the gym and save that $60 for something else! 

Is a gym right for you or not? Consider the following when looking at possible gyms:

How much does it cost? There are many gyms out there and finding one within your budget is important.

Does it have everything I want? If you don’t need a pool, maybe try looking at a gym that does not have one – it may cost less!

Is the only thing I am going to be doing a class? It may be cheaper to just take the class and forgo the whole gym.

Will I actually go? Diligently going is the key to making the price of the gym worth it. If you are never going to go, then you may want to use the gym money to invest in a piece of equipment you can use at home!

Are you only using one piece of equipment at the gym? If you’re only using the treadmill, you’d be able to buy your own using the $60/month you spend going to the gym. $60/month for one year totals $720. You could buy a treadmill for that!

See what it costs to use the local college or university gym. Many schools will offer non-student rates that can be cheaper.

Did I read the contract? Most gyms will make you sign a contract. Make sure you read and agree! If you are unsure about a year long commitment, see if there is a gym you can pay month to month at.

If a gym doesn’t seem like the best option, there are several ways to exercise without joining a gym:

Take individual or a package of classes. If the weights and treadmills are not important to you, you may want to look into take just classes at the gym or a local studio. You can also look into DVDs of classes you want to take like yoga, kick boxing or Zumba.

Want to run? Go outside! For almost three seasons you could take the trails at your local parks or neighborhoods. When it gets cold outside you could look into a local free track at a park or community center (or just run outside if you are hardcore).

Purchase home gym equipment. I found an elliptical on sale at Dick’s Sporting Goods for under $200 and you can purchase different sized weights for fairly cheap. This may be a better alternative to a gym if you know you are going to only be using a few items.

Of course, check out Groupon! Many, many studios and athletic associations are starting to offer deals for bundles of classes. If you love yoga or are into ‘Boot Camp’ keep an eye out for a great deal and maybe try something new!

Happy exercising!